On April 23, 1971 — yes, 50 years ago today — the world received an interesting gift of music and art with the release of Sticky Fingers by the Rolling Stones.
My BFF and I rotated this album and many others in our teenage angst, and it was always a temptation to grab the cover and, well……open it up.
That iconic album cover was designed by pop artist Andy Warhol, and did it ever pop. Mick Jagger was looking for the visual swag to match the sound on the vinyl, and it’s fair to say the two artists are cemented in history as legendary. Interestingly enough, the lips and tongue logo was also used for the first time on this album, their ninth, albeit designed not by Warhol but a British graphic artist named John Pasche.
Sticky Fingers quickly rose to #1 in the U.S. and stayed there for four weeks. It featured hits like Brown Sugar, Wild Horses, and Bitch — as well as my favorite, below.
So I wasn’t exactly rocking to the Stones in 1971, but I’m grateful for musicians who can take you back to the moments they enveloped in our lives — like it was yesterday.
Even though it might have been 50 years ago today.
It’s Friday at 5:00 (Somewhere), and it’s time to raise your glass to some classic tunes with old friends. Cheers!